tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19510467794513025252024-02-19T02:53:15.735-08:00Meric Loves YouMerichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-19626582335828080792010-02-03T08:12:00.000-08:002010-02-03T08:19:20.773-08:00Roaring!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-BgysEbAhlW36-LVexI_HL7ddIFNpXnciFru7ZQeKwVMmsOJzJk6g5RkXxHQrJaVAFKXPtGuiLEGi876YHmLho2bDwwcdqwyn62dFhmmAMp1p7ZC0mAm1ihmnGBh3AM1zqt6_ipXtMQ/s1600-h/OpenFire.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-BgysEbAhlW36-LVexI_HL7ddIFNpXnciFru7ZQeKwVMmsOJzJk6g5RkXxHQrJaVAFKXPtGuiLEGi876YHmLho2bDwwcdqwyn62dFhmmAMp1p7ZC0mAm1ihmnGBh3AM1zqt6_ipXtMQ/s200/OpenFire.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434052121641299234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">May's parents came over at the weekend. It was cold and because of this we made a dart over to B&Q to pick up some coal. Smokeless fuel I think they call it nowadays. Anyway, after a horrendously smokey false start, we opened the damper flap and we were in business. Even though it's a teeny little grate, it was enough to take the chill out of the air and bring our personalities back. Why didn't we do this sooner?</span></span>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-56865530895487982712010-01-29T04:02:00.000-08:002010-01-29T04:09:49.636-08:00Vintage Tennis<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClWobHGd9l7rXv5hQO5lixnY6aeMhaZbDqrBE5ASaEGgzGTMR3lCfmr4KANpveM9igEy24pkUwQXpDPC28hxtAC4Ky33nO44JZZy3w1VXbNX7sWOF8rAW8CHkrhMRC3-QKan8wCiSdIo/s1600-h/VintageTennis.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClWobHGd9l7rXv5hQO5lixnY6aeMhaZbDqrBE5ASaEGgzGTMR3lCfmr4KANpveM9igEy24pkUwQXpDPC28hxtAC4Ky33nO44JZZy3w1VXbNX7sWOF8rAW8CHkrhMRC3-QKan8wCiSdIo/s200/VintageTennis.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432132822843536370" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Yesterday Shorrocks and myself were invited to Soho House to attend the press launch and screening of the Lacoste Vintage Tennis range. Amazing to see the campaign I worked on with Will over nine months ago is finally out in the public domain. It was great to see my film on the big cinema screen, especially as I'd only ever viewed it on a computer monitor before. I'm happy that I can now give you a link to my work as I'd been meaning to show everyone for ages.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The launch went well. There were quite a few people from various magazines and a load of PR types. I don't really like those sort of events as I find them arselicky and full of twats. However, last night I was one of those twats. There's no denying it!... Still, free champagne!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Here's a </span></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j9D9rGe4sU"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">LINK</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> to the Vintage Tennis film, designed and directed by my good self.</span></span></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-36910676475752991772010-01-12T08:17:00.000-08:002010-01-12T08:20:40.478-08:00New toy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcFF4VYi2XQSi2f3mLrLeYvOJZm5GmlttE-O3m0MiynGkPUzc7JibLD3Kf3cd3ToVPeyjXdxKoI4tn8Doz8C9DM3QMFHGypHbdjGhegBJOk0jKRUCwVqAbWDnFc4LiDU5ouZOHN17g_QQ/s1600-h/canon-g11-hands-on-300x300.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcFF4VYi2XQSi2f3mLrLeYvOJZm5GmlttE-O3m0MiynGkPUzc7JibLD3Kf3cd3ToVPeyjXdxKoI4tn8Doz8C9DM3QMFHGypHbdjGhegBJOk0jKRUCwVqAbWDnFc4LiDU5ouZOHN17g_QQ/s200/canon-g11-hands-on-300x300.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425888854191581890" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Christmas arrived late for both myself and May this afternoon with the signing for our new Canon G11!.. I'm looking forward to doing it some real justice and taking som pictures a pint of Guiness in a darkened pub... Let's just hope it doesn't end up in the same netherworld and May's iPod and her spectacles!!</span></span>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-40010291598851111862010-01-11T02:48:00.000-08:002010-01-11T03:21:12.977-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FSDdskORRskf9hhyDe8FNHLYny0X8XOhAnEJdd0DnBAoP0VF3tAd62F2hFtdpZYqeefMKvWTTJ2y6lCXJ3An8xL_ljHiHc-MzS7sQ5EfNaCNZDmZHaReM5mLJQ-2tyDqa_ErrRfM4yc/s1600-h/tumblr_kvxwwgTfnO1qz6f9y.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FSDdskORRskf9hhyDe8FNHLYny0X8XOhAnEJdd0DnBAoP0VF3tAd62F2hFtdpZYqeefMKvWTTJ2y6lCXJ3An8xL_ljHiHc-MzS7sQ5EfNaCNZDmZHaReM5mLJQ-2tyDqa_ErrRfM4yc/s200/tumblr_kvxwwgTfnO1qz6f9y.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425440686484839650" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So anyway, May and I decided to stay in this weekend. It was just too fucking cold to even consider going out. Plus it's January and conserving cash is a high priority, especially with the Indian extravaganza coming up.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Friday night we were out with her workmates, as I'd gone over to her office to install CS4.. It was actually refreshing to go out with a group of people who don't moan and groan about the company they work for!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Going back further in time. Thursday night our department said goodbye to Simon who goes to Hong Kong as an ambassador for Group Marketing for four months. He's uprooting and taking his girlfriend and little boy too. For the pleasure, he'll be a work bitch. Well, you'd have to wouldn't you. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">This is a </span></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLVOfxS2Ho8"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">short video</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> I made for him to remember us by.</span></span></span></span></span></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-10462625654102187182010-01-06T05:33:00.000-08:002010-01-06T05:44:42.955-08:00Happy New Year!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieoWxg2SR8iVB2nMK1ne9khefUUL6F98x54g3S_JzT3YIySoL96pbTFct03r_L35F77K9oerY24LNYypShLLNVnL7xsxlBTaFqT5WwN2lztEkfMZNHsa0h7oUKlkYbeAdCPiVLrBDgT3E/s1600-h/photo.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieoWxg2SR8iVB2nMK1ne9khefUUL6F98x54g3S_JzT3YIySoL96pbTFct03r_L35F77K9oerY24LNYypShLLNVnL7xsxlBTaFqT5WwN2lztEkfMZNHsa0h7oUKlkYbeAdCPiVLrBDgT3E/s200/photo.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423622303342180370" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Back into blogging this year, I promise... </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I had a right good Christmas break, but even though the (rather disappointing) work Christmas party feels like ages ago, the whole two weeks off went in the blink of a lazy eyelid.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Most Christmas holidays start before you actually break-up and there's those two first weeks in December where a lot of alcohol gets consumed. Unfortunately for my liver, the alcohol consumption continued until the 2nd of January, which isn't good. Although I've heard that the cells in the liver regenerate fully after a year and a half, so that means that if I'm abstinent until July 2011, everything's going to be just fine.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Fingers crossed.</span></span></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-59503727303123948752009-12-17T02:31:00.000-08:002010-01-11T06:19:16.182-08:00End of year lists<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Hello fans. It's that time again and I've decided to log in. Yes. Log in. It's been a bumper year in one way or another and although I've not been keeping everyone abreast with the latest goings on in and around the lifes and loves of a Pinedevil, I've signed in to let you know my lists.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">So. List ahoy.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Top five albums of the year:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">1. Filthy Dukes - Nonsense in the Dark</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">2. Fever Ray - Fever Ray</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">3. The Juan Maclean - The Future Will Come</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">4. Little Dragon - Machine Dreams</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">5. Wild Beasts - Two Dancers</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">(I've turned more this year to the sound of the synth. Unfortunately no hip hop has been worthy of the top five accolade this year.)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Top five tracks of the year:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">1. Luisine - Two Dots (Pezzner remix)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">2. La Roux - I'm Not Your Toy (Jack Beats remix)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">3. The Juan Maclean - The Simple Life (Marcus Worgull remix)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">4. The Horrors - Sea Within a Sea</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">5. Micachu - Golden Phone</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">(There really is too many to pick a top five, it's been tough and I should be getting back to real work.)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Top five films of the year:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">1. (Without a shadow of a doubt) Synechode New York</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">2. Avatar</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">3. Erm...</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">(Can't think of any more, I just wanted to get on my soapbox and say that I LOVED Synechode New York... I didn't expect any film would have that much of an effect on me. (I started reading Carl Jung after watching it!))</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Anyway... That enough blogging for me. Until next year suckers!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">x</span></span></div><div><br /></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-56502784927761591952009-07-03T08:02:00.000-07:002009-07-03T08:53:02.209-07:00Just for you Jakie...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjogXWiOdb21TPrXszyI6GeeBvOUyrYK7Ek84XzjmB0qT2SN-E2RCtcWDHlzmvp-nhVqKVnuChmiJw1RYbQYzVIJRRdI_ZUa-9gLN5hGZP3Pw9p9MM7xFF4jPCGZdEaAlcw8fS4xv54w8Q/s1600-h/Blakney.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjogXWiOdb21TPrXszyI6GeeBvOUyrYK7Ek84XzjmB0qT2SN-E2RCtcWDHlzmvp-nhVqKVnuChmiJw1RYbQYzVIJRRdI_ZUa-9gLN5hGZP3Pw9p9MM7xFF4jPCGZdEaAlcw8fS4xv54w8Q/s200/Blakney.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354262394609795394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">I'm back. Firewall problems abound. I'm not even going to give you a run down of what's been happening since April, suffice to say that I've been having fun and that life is good. I'm not even sure whether this will post through the firewall, but it's illegal here, apparently... BREAKIN' THE LAW!.. BREAKIN' THE LAW!</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">So anyhow, for the last couple of weeks I've been using May's Mum's car as she's nicely lent it to us so we could drive it to Norfolk for May's recent birthday. (Her actual birthday evening was spent at the new Conran restaurant, Boundary in Shoreditch. May had fish, I had entrails. The wine was good.).. Norfolk was fun fun fun. The weather hung out for us to all go swimming, surfing, bike riding, blue grassing, seal watching and sailing.. Oh, and drinking. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Trying to beat the clock for a last drink at the local before tidy-up time, we arrived with seconds to spare but gave up and tucked into warm wine we'd brought with us. That Thursday night was spent dancing, Zoe and Ian were like the he and she in Grease with May and I combing our hair behind them. I suppose a Sharks and Jets analogy might work here.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">The following day we woke and sped off top speed on various bikes. Within minutes we were lost and minutes after that May had a blowout and we had to leave poor ol' Hercules in a hedge and ride backy with the Carribean Dream (Honestly, what a name for a bike!)... We made it finally to the pub in Cley. We couldn't find the cider garden so we sat in the beer garden. Four pints of Aspalls later and we were driving (driving!?) to Wells where in the fog we found our way to the sea and to somebodys propped up surfboard. We had a good 20 minutes before the guy came back and demanded we get off it. One quick vinegar-swiping stop off at Cookies and we were soon shovelling shellfish into our hungry mouths.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">That evening was hilarious. Bearing in mind we had been drinking mostly all day, we managed to make it over to the village hall to see the local Bluegrass band. It didn't take us long before we were dosie-doe-ing with the locals. I've never sweated so much from swinging sixty year olds around! On our walk home, we get the phonecall from the gays who had driven from Newcastle to get there. They turn up refusing help with the heavy luggage in the back of the car, so we get in and open more wine. 20 minutes later there's a knock on the door and a surprise arrival from Helen who was hiding under the luggage all along! Cheeky Helen. As we'd assumed she couldn't make it and she had, we cracked open more wine to celebrate.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Urgh. My head the following morning hurt. Luckily so did everyone elses. Plus it was raining so we didn't make it out until afternoon which was fine. We headed back to Wells beach after the rain had stopped to hang out on the sand dunes. Safe... Soon afterwards though we found ourselves going back to the same beer garden for some more cider. We weren't quite so wild though and only offended a few of the locals this time. That evening we decided to have a barbeque instead of eat more seafood. It was all nice and mellow and we chatted politely whilst waiting and waiting for the food to cook. After a cheeky burger we made it to the local, all the while being teased with tunes from Grease floating in from a neighbouring house. We'd presumed it was a wedding and tryed our luck. It turned out it was the poshest wedding in the world and of course they welcomed a bunch of scruffy pissed kids. Did they fuck. I barely even managed to smell the smoke of the top-hatted guy's cigar before being ushed out by the mother(fucker) of the bride. On the way back through the beer garden we befrended some posh kids and brought them back to the balcony for beers. After we'd run out we made local lad go back to his granny's house and pinch all the wine. It was late when we finally got to bed.. And I hurt the following day again. Three days of boozing hurts. I'm no spring chicken.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">That Sunday we managed to lever ourselves out and down to the harbour so we could board the boat to take up out to see the silly seals. So cool... So worth it. After a pork roast afterwards we were in the cars heading home. A good good weekend and a bad bad head because of it!</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Right Jake, I'll be more together now. Expect regular updates of my whereabouts every hour on the hour. I hope this thing fucking works through the Firewall now. I've been typing for fucking ages!</span>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-2130905312653723072009-04-03T08:45:00.001-07:002009-04-03T09:02:55.932-07:00AV Suite<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhPW03StndYyIaORKVe0laa6kFAbto6e-2QBLge6WmfChGuvS0yphL61tDhWbXDGMffXNL9DiDBGDe7eJzp983Za_mAWNCbCRsZ2v26qFM5dbWCexXNcCJYqlukOH2zF9Hq4E5AMC9los/s1600-h/AVsuite.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhPW03StndYyIaORKVe0laa6kFAbto6e-2QBLge6WmfChGuvS0yphL61tDhWbXDGMffXNL9DiDBGDe7eJzp983Za_mAWNCbCRsZ2v26qFM5dbWCexXNcCJYqlukOH2zF9Hq4E5AMC9los/s200/AVsuite.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320496254083171298" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">At last!... Over a year of pushing has finally paid off with the delivery of the Audio-Visual suite. What started off as a written proposal I'd included in the Pentland Dragon's Den last March materialized on Paddy's wagon. Look at him smiling there with £35,000 worth of kit. Look at his little face... I was tempted to rip the boxes open there and then, but I'm going to have to wait.</span>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-82393987939298368082009-04-03T08:39:00.000-07:002009-04-03T09:07:33.051-07:00Lucky boy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTeO6Y2qwJ06R6sVtR2H6uPLQkuUbEeu8CDjobPqkjbpEav860emV2u4efQQRqLmZpvauSnKyizb5LYJUnewK15ypr05nj3vDdvVm7c6p34dT1GvSF5pMjYRzOGLXo-ue0phobNmFoU9Q/s1600-h/Ed.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 143px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTeO6Y2qwJ06R6sVtR2H6uPLQkuUbEeu8CDjobPqkjbpEav860emV2u4efQQRqLmZpvauSnKyizb5LYJUnewK15ypr05nj3vDdvVm7c6p34dT1GvSF5pMjYRzOGLXo-ue0phobNmFoU9Q/s200/Ed.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320491615715984178" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">As Simon's girlfriend Marisa started having mini contractions on Tuesday, I decided to create a sweepstake, each betting a pound on when the baby would be born... Ed picked correct and won the grand prize of £18. Not bad being as he's only been working here for three days!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">I hope Simon and Marisa call their little boy Elvis. Elvis was one of two names Simon bandied about. The other one was Nelson after Horatio.</span></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-43649351346034897352009-03-30T07:46:00.000-07:002009-03-30T08:56:51.456-07:00Sunday at Birdcage<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjxliS8tp0TsZsYtCPWUOSh4mHsC0gAnYQoBjChmfnsHHVKYMwWHkfoM7J8aHLCmvjPEKSe8hKZypTCUVZHc3efW_NhXq3xJRFT_O8gGEU-yxZ8u5kUUwgSg_5THzLFMS8qoHltYPmL0/s1600-h/crash.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjxliS8tp0TsZsYtCPWUOSh4mHsC0gAnYQoBjChmfnsHHVKYMwWHkfoM7J8aHLCmvjPEKSe8hKZypTCUVZHc3efW_NhXq3xJRFT_O8gGEU-yxZ8u5kUUwgSg_5THzLFMS8qoHltYPmL0/s200/crash.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319010319314648466" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">I like it when people come over to visit, it gives us a chance to tidy up. After the mammoth movie marathon, the place was a like a smackden. It's actually very therapeutic to clean and pretty lovely to have the flat back to it's stunning self. We'd just put away the rubber gloves when Jake and Jodie popped over to visit. It's good to see them, they only live down the road so they drove over after some confusion with the clocks going forward.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">After a quick shuftie around, we headed over to the Birdcage for some afternoon pints and a well deserved pub roast. Looking out the window we could see what Jodie described as 'public theatre'... Some driver tried overtaking a bus without looking and pranged his BMW bumper. He wasn't going too quick and neither was the bus. We didn't think much of it there things happen all the time. An hour later there were about 30 firemen cutting the roof off the car and dragging him out. I'm not too sure the guy expected that level of treatment when he greedily lied to the police for the insurance scam.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Jake and Jodie stayed for a while but left May and I to leisurely walk back in the sunshine. Lovely.</span></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-85964788675668196162009-03-30T06:44:00.000-07:002009-03-30T07:39:09.865-07:00Farewells and Film Marathons<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnqfy7WRKAh6GQGPM_pLWSWHprGVUkLYmV5C5l9luaYsRDmI0GIFEVcW4JKodkTakxUyEx96guI76iCcWQtjIxRY5tZUrr8LTwvP9u7QKHJ8EdV0nNKMxxPs4qNdsuKcWFTbPmPbJmFU/s1600-h/Chloe.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnqfy7WRKAh6GQGPM_pLWSWHprGVUkLYmV5C5l9luaYsRDmI0GIFEVcW4JKodkTakxUyEx96guI76iCcWQtjIxRY5tZUrr8LTwvP9u7QKHJ8EdV0nNKMxxPs4qNdsuKcWFTbPmPbJmFU/s200/Chloe.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318990283996523874" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Friday after work was a corker. The little milkmaid, Chloe finally picked up her milk buckets and said goodbye to Pentland. A good turn out at the Dignity saw her off in as much style as the Dignity could muster. Obviously the shady Finchley regulars were shrugged off before we headed off to Camden. Before hitting Proud, May and I had a cheeky drink at The Mixer. There really are some fucking odd characters in that boozer. I've never really been sure that I even like the pub. This time around there was a deaf midget goth with shocking pink hair SHOUTING at some thick shit kid about what school she went to. We drank up and left after one pint. Proud was fun though, we caught up with everyone else and before we knew it we were slammin' and shootin' with the kids. TAXI!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">The following day May and I were feeling rather hungover. It was a good night, but it wasn't worth feeling THAT bad. Urgh. We decided though to treat ourselves to an entirely self-indulgent day. It was brilliant actually, we broke out the sofabed and watched film after film after film after film... and ordered pizzas. May and I are into our bleak films and today was no exception. We moved from Bully to Happiness through The Constant Gardener to the much-needed fluff of The Commitments. Okay, lazy!</span></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-86868412977370420182009-03-27T06:04:00.000-07:002009-03-27T06:19:18.194-07:00Dressed up for dinner<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYPwd_6ABrbnEajO2uZDkIB4dvu5ur5fWNDAeHCKKqF0MVpKmxMF5-y-GohBSQZtCbt3Isgo8eTCHy2Id241aGF5rV2cTCVQ3FOz1blwQSzgbkY9H83kFPyrJ-7Grcx1yGLesBIykIpU/s1600-h/dressed.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 166px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYPwd_6ABrbnEajO2uZDkIB4dvu5ur5fWNDAeHCKKqF0MVpKmxMF5-y-GohBSQZtCbt3Isgo8eTCHy2Id241aGF5rV2cTCVQ3FOz1blwQSzgbkY9H83kFPyrJ-7Grcx1yGLesBIykIpU/s200/dressed.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317856472351229010" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">There was nothing in the fridge so May and myself decided to get REALLY dressed up and go out to the Three Crowns for a bite to eat. I wore a suit and May looked rather impressive in her LBD. I tell you what, people take you more seriously when you dress right up. I should have used my lofty social status to tell the waitress to back down and shut the fuck up. I hate over-familiar waitresses and she was THE WORST. If you're spending money, you expect a little bit of polite chatter, not some joker trying to make you laugh. However, the food was delicious. I had the steak and May had the Fillet-O-Fish... Naturellement.</span>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-51691730725412614292009-03-24T03:30:00.000-07:002009-03-24T03:52:08.822-07:00Na'er cast a clout<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWx7fZToyDuxsejOiO8eUmtvoXV7GIpXwJT6UTUoNuKFCH68S4jXqc8nozhBjyHxbhg0fKxEbPmahByUtEcUraP-6mNE-wHMprqC5thyphenhyphenWvJkXlivJqWsx4jwBV0DQThZGUWZnACABZXtw/s1600-h/LasagneOutside.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWx7fZToyDuxsejOiO8eUmtvoXV7GIpXwJT6UTUoNuKFCH68S4jXqc8nozhBjyHxbhg0fKxEbPmahByUtEcUraP-6mNE-wHMprqC5thyphenhyphenWvJkXlivJqWsx4jwBV0DQThZGUWZnACABZXtw/s200/LasagneOutside.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316705295263052466" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Na'er cast a clout 'til May is out they say... What a load of crap, it was such lovely weather all weekend. It was almost balmy on Saturday, it gives you a real taste of summer. God knows we need it. I've not seen any sun since Colin's Ibizan stag do and pre-credit crunch, that seems a LONG time ago. Hanging out on Islington Green instead of life-drawing, I saw some stupid individuals in their Birkenstocks and Havaianas, cadaverous toes poking through like worms through topsoil. Urgh... In fact it was possibly a good thing we decided against life-drawing because it turned out that Jess was modelling! *chortle*... It would probably be a little awkward when I saw her at work on Monday after drawing her little bee stings!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Anyway, we hung out on the green and drew the people around us until it was time to wander around the antiques market, the shops and the Sainsburys to get ingredients for the Sunday's lasagne...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">... Which went down a treat. May's mum, dad and brother came over for Mother's day loaded with various treats and surprises for the house. We now have an antique Turkish rug in the living room, a full herb garden on the balcony and also the inclination to go garden now we know what we're doing! ... Roll on REAL summer!</span></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-61879230192715916212009-03-24T02:55:00.001-07:002009-03-24T03:30:23.061-07:00Dimsum and Chieftown<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXlF30IPBCkuPlJnDTLXoUNbwCxPC94bKwWQO-g7xmF5wV0SeWEzAe5DLmasJsYCkg658yPfCHIcJkLOWXKL6fO1MurxBkUOA2jzFIO9HDS5QzA87hcxl5P1aChUGRzvIgYud7ETTBzg/s1600-h/dimsum.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXlF30IPBCkuPlJnDTLXoUNbwCxPC94bKwWQO-g7xmF5wV0SeWEzAe5DLmasJsYCkg658yPfCHIcJkLOWXKL6fO1MurxBkUOA2jzFIO9HDS5QzA87hcxl5P1aChUGRzvIgYud7ETTBzg/s200/dimsum.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316699676652977202" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Friday night was fun, May and I had time after work to go shopping for a Mother's Day present, go out for Dim Sum and see a band!... All that with only having two bottles of beer. The dimsum was excellent, apart from the fact that we were the only people in the upstairs part of the restaurant which meant that the waiters standing around were too attentive and would come over to take away a dish as soon as the last dimsum had been chopsticked into our gaping mouths.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">The band was okay. Chieftown. We were walking back through Soho on our way back to catch the tube when from one of the crowds outside one of the pubs, a little smiling face greeted us. It was Patch, a geordie friend of Mays. He did a good job convincing us to do 'the dreaded turn' in the road and back on ourselves to Bar Rhumba, that old bar of yesteryear which now temporarily houses pub/indie bands of questionable calibre. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">After the two bottles of beer we squeezed through the 'crowd' of Chieftown fans and headed home.</span></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-7779314043456751852009-03-23T09:58:00.001-07:002009-03-23T10:02:53.594-07:00Penis Pie...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46nNWnaeSsm5cmisCjLZ6OpLknGX2cna6zICWTzVKl2k_N-Gp894LeoDn5-wYfb-UWwMSnPU8X6MYCCiElLdIcX9adZEsLcs2YzOSvW0DCFySH9FDEz3M9un29WGJ55J36PhutzSxt2k/s1600-h/penispie.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 140px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46nNWnaeSsm5cmisCjLZ6OpLknGX2cna6zICWTzVKl2k_N-Gp894LeoDn5-wYfb-UWwMSnPU8X6MYCCiElLdIcX9adZEsLcs2YzOSvW0DCFySH9FDEz3M9un29WGJ55J36PhutzSxt2k/s200/penispie.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316429028808802002" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Wallop!... As promised, here is a picture of the steak and ale puff pastry penis pie. Check the time out: Twenty to ten. That's PM! How rock is that?... It's just how we roll in N16, I'm afraid.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">(I think a haircut is beckoning.)</span></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-27802291077996177572009-03-20T04:54:00.000-07:002009-03-20T05:08:44.648-07:00Red Hand Few<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyL-qgXp9G-7-KUmuAryx7bsdLTbFR36wZ1xS0Eqs2aaHCgovfNjx6zXuXSDkgOjeBtMLgn8MK_JGRmRg447b9vQV2ub_iAbcUwbx6STsNV345jlRbJqDv97Hi9-oJyW7RZUyZJZ7Dzmc/s1600-h/RHFew.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyL-qgXp9G-7-KUmuAryx7bsdLTbFR36wZ1xS0Eqs2aaHCgovfNjx6zXuXSDkgOjeBtMLgn8MK_JGRmRg447b9vQV2ub_iAbcUwbx6STsNV345jlRbJqDv97Hi9-oJyW7RZUyZJZ7Dzmc/s200/RHFew.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315240689313310674" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">So last night after work I went to meet Jamie, Antony, Ben, Jerry and Davros at Marketplace in town. (I hate that place, Jamie loves it though. I think it's because after a certain amount of drinks, the office girls turn into one amorphous blob which he can gawp at.) Anyway, It had been a while though and it was brilliant to see their little faces again. Davros had grown a furry flattop and Jamie had put some weight on his chin just for the occasion. We chuckled at old times over a few pints and caught up with each other before I waddled over to the O-Bar to meet May who'd been out boozin' with Ian. The 'retail kids' had left by the time I arrived and so I found the two of them giggling with a couple of empty wine bottles strewn around them.</span>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-9268263371061232162009-03-20T04:34:00.000-07:002009-03-20T04:40:39.351-07:00Spooky<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5IZDJlq6muhyCClNTVNWxIPfBMWoIYM4WUAS83hhq3pXxGgxrhJAxoZ_N529h0tg1FJ4VgXlpidYMnMF-HGrfZVSEazjYqrJ-64ryiNulf4isGO-41-dBlpNTXgZqhdKBgvDK0Lufw0/s1600-h/Spooky.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5IZDJlq6muhyCClNTVNWxIPfBMWoIYM4WUAS83hhq3pXxGgxrhJAxoZ_N529h0tg1FJ4VgXlpidYMnMF-HGrfZVSEazjYqrJ-64ryiNulf4isGO-41-dBlpNTXgZqhdKBgvDK0Lufw0/s200/Spooky.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315233449681578210" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">See the spooky spire in the spooky cemetery.... I didn't realise this was on our doorstep. Shame really as it's an absolutely fascinating cemetery but now frequented by ugly gay old men and tramps all looking for some 'me time'.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I think the Vicorians just buried their dead there and then forgot about the place. Abney Park remains a wonder, I wouldn't like to be caught there after dark.</span></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-2735484186354935192009-03-20T03:24:00.000-07:002009-03-20T04:18:49.801-07:00Entertaining...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9IUKbDTRI9Za27TJhlTJ1rfv8PZ5Xlc2sVPyi8Vf8G1bjfyK_LeEv86mA4UOXwQWRp4AIkjKZSYAis2OVem9_PjsZiuDBgIqApJaqZZrO7AccexdsVQrQvQd8R9d1rnyzPt3t2IdPRU/s1600-h/Wholefoods.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9IUKbDTRI9Za27TJhlTJ1rfv8PZ5Xlc2sVPyi8Vf8G1bjfyK_LeEv86mA4UOXwQWRp4AIkjKZSYAis2OVem9_PjsZiuDBgIqApJaqZZrO7AccexdsVQrQvQd8R9d1rnyzPt3t2IdPRU/s200/Wholefoods.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315227267601848098" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">It's amazing how a week flew by without a single post. My idea was to write something everyday, but I realise that I just don't have the time or the inclination to just drivel away. A short catch up is of order, let me run you through the hustle and indeed the bustle of living in an urban connurbation.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Friday was a right laugh. I was looking forward to showing off the new pad off to the public and although Ian broke the seal, it was really Helen and Matt who took the prize. We shifted all the clutter from the desk and turned it into an actual proper dinner table, where I served a steak and guinness pie I had been cooking for two days!... Obviously it was amazing and I even jujjed it up with a comedy puff pastry penis on the pie crust. We were all talking about it, laughing, you know. and I was carried shoulder high around Stoke Newington for a good couple of hours afterwards. In reality it went down well and we got pissed on wine. Matt and Helen had brought a couple of bottles as well as profiteroles for afters... Which meant that the bread and butter pudding I had lovingly crafted from M&S needed to be eaten on Saturday morning for breakfast.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">After breakfast Matt and Helen shuffled off, only to be replaced by Fal and Rach who May entertained all day whilst I stayed in watching films feeling a little delicate. By all accounts it was a lovely day and May took the girls to Clissold Park, the epicentre of all things smugly Stoke Newington. When they returned I levered myself off the sofa and out to get ingredients for dinner which according to Fal, was a 'lush' spaghetti bolognese. They tucked into the vodka before going out to the late licence Brazilian bar. I stayed in watching a documentary about Keith Moon.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">On Sunday, May and myself had a small window of time to get some 'picky nibbles' (I hate those words!) from Whole Foods on Church Street, walk to the park and around the spooky cemetary before Ian came over to put the icing on the cake of a good weekend's entertainment.</span></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-61598315407569440882009-03-09T02:36:00.000-07:002009-03-10T03:11:38.126-07:00A very lifty weekend<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYdy_niYADycQvK0713A-LmqecPAIJYOxXtA6oIBd-cstqdgcVSb1s994vuYhi9inXgsDWfx0Qm4WmFH-Zw6f4bJPT_Oz5N-4DcCHjMAzJGebvDG4uDnI7HOo-sOvFS3rTmumGEmKqW2A/s1600-h/IMG_0068.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYdy_niYADycQvK0713A-LmqecPAIJYOxXtA6oIBd-cstqdgcVSb1s994vuYhi9inXgsDWfx0Qm4WmFH-Zw6f4bJPT_Oz5N-4DcCHjMAzJGebvDG4uDnI7HOo-sOvFS3rTmumGEmKqW2A/s200/IMG_0068.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311133228179261410" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">No rest for the wicked they say. No rest for the helpful either... Sometimes the guy who can't say no hurts in other ways, this time around it's not a hangover. Johnny Herbert came in his hire van quick smart Saturday morning, I suppose it's my just desserts for roping him in to help lift some of MY boxes three weeks ago.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Stopping off for the mandatory McDonalds en route (on Macdonalds Road!) we were soon over at his place. I'd never been there before, but heard all about it from people who had. It was as tiny as people had commented and didn't let me down. It wasn't quite a bedsit, he couldn't sit on his bed, watching telly and cooking beans. He had a mezzanine bed above the kitchenette, the toilet/wetroom beside that, and down the metal ladder, the living space. I think he'll be happier in his new place, it's bigger, brighter and all together a whole new kettle for his fish.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">That evening May and I experimented with buses to take us to Angel and over to the cinema to see Slumdog Millionaire. I thought it was well deserved of it's oscars and the trickle of tears down my cheeks... I always cry at films. Quite embarrassingly I even shed a few whilst watching Ratatouille a couple of months ago! Strange though as I'm not a blubber normally.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Anyhow, On Sunday I met up with Herbert again as he needed my help lifting and I needed a lift to Ikea. We were wandering around the showroom together like a couple of gays. More embarrassing than crying at a Disney film! May was getting frazzled so I came home and helped her Photoshop and Illustrator as we chuckled though Come Dine With Me.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">A very lifty weekend, I ache today.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">(By the way, the photo is of the Ting Tings tickets I was given on Friday. No-one wanted them, so I left them on the table at the Dignity.)</span></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-1918836347845949222009-03-05T07:53:00.000-08:002009-03-05T07:57:37.260-08:00Doctors Orders<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBYYdisoAMlOtciUE7e1AsN15xym8Y-DX2jeSAe5m8127z2om5NOnbCk9d-iKCHTqb-BolMMgsH5ISwQS6nP4FKrdPpbRCB68KEybBjOGGv4ZMbN1_Lnkvco38bpWfpQex1k8v7wdqkc/s1600-h/DOS_28_Flyer-1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 141px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBYYdisoAMlOtciUE7e1AsN15xym8Y-DX2jeSAe5m8127z2om5NOnbCk9d-iKCHTqb-BolMMgsH5ISwQS6nP4FKrdPpbRCB68KEybBjOGGv4ZMbN1_Lnkvco38bpWfpQex1k8v7wdqkc/s200/DOS_28_Flyer-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309733402237507330" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">I've just finished the new Doctors Orders flyer for Rod the hip-hop sod. It was all quite rushed as these things often are, and this particular design found me finally powering down at 1am. I really should start these things sooner, but as I've said... Who does their homework the day it's set? No-one. I'm doing mine on the bus on the way to school.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Also check out the number. 28!... I've been doing these things for over three years, I should have some sort of retrospective. If I can only find the artwork!</span></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-58523712523811266432009-03-05T06:08:00.000-08:002009-03-05T06:31:41.736-08:00Sushi with friends<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxT_AloRVnvx_L1azZIB0KfrXTRlORrF2WO0F3uqVkd36EcCg8QfrH0HzDXBnLla9CyHzjS-JapgAkCyos-ydMiBw028e3cW0C9sJPcAOfLmQFuF8iaDawE9V2B4f3oK9ek7whFx-9d-Y/s1600-h/IMG_0065.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxT_AloRVnvx_L1azZIB0KfrXTRlORrF2WO0F3uqVkd36EcCg8QfrH0HzDXBnLla9CyHzjS-JapgAkCyos-ydMiBw028e3cW0C9sJPcAOfLmQFuF8iaDawE9V2B4f3oK9ek7whFx-9d-Y/s200/IMG_0065.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309711180066490354" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">After a busy weekend, May and myself were flagging slightly and also relatively fearful of a pre-planned evening out with a Whatley, catching up with Martin and Sandra who are over from Toronto for a few days. As it didn't need to get massively boozy, I did the decent thing and booked Asakusa in Mornington Crescent. It took us out of the pub and into the best sushi restaurant I know of. I'm happy we got a seat as that place is normally packed. You can imagine the look on Whatley's face when his teriyaki beef finally arrived. He'd already had a few pints and was starving hungry. We'd previously met in the pub round the corner, when Whatley presented himself I was killing time with a sukuko or two. It took a second, Whatley looked around noticed I was on my own and did 'The Laugh'. I'd not heard it for a while and it was warmly welcomed. Martin's fragile stomach dictated their late arrival, we said our hellos and all walked the short distance to sushi heaven. We ate and drank well, possibly making more noise than necessary for a Monday night, possibly pissing off the other punters in the process. Hey ho, Martin and Sandra are a lovely couple, as ever it was brilliant to catch up.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">The 253 took myself and the by now snoozy May from directly outside the restaurant back to our door to rest easy. Easy.</span></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-86697751150725524462009-03-05T05:46:00.000-08:002009-03-05T06:08:01.759-08:00School fun!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPc7K-f-k5TIcqOagXBN51ssj_p9RlT3aEKTG3pX7b75A8_pqpE-4NoIW-n4oJA2RZ9xW0pjH7oGoA3RbdfVSGLaUW7sPyPuu0yUzA47eVLRZ0i3cO1qfZgXwEnOjnQmIX644_zaSgw-c/s1600-h/n713991992_2014949_2864705.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPc7K-f-k5TIcqOagXBN51ssj_p9RlT3aEKTG3pX7b75A8_pqpE-4NoIW-n4oJA2RZ9xW0pjH7oGoA3RbdfVSGLaUW7sPyPuu0yUzA47eVLRZ0i3cO1qfZgXwEnOjnQmIX644_zaSgw-c/s200/n713991992_2014949_2864705.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309704792033019746" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Saturday was brilliant. May and I travelled over to the Little house on Friday in preparation for Mick's birthday and what will be the only family party of the year. As this was the case, Mum went all out and on Saturday morning we found ourselves in the Littlehouse School of Excellence where we were expected to have completed our homework for assembly at 11am!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">The day was planned and executed with aplomb. At one point, mum and Kyleigh changed out of their headmistress and geeky schoolkid outfits to assume the guise of Beryl and Ethel, the rather dim-witted and big-busted west-country dinnerladies. They served us up traditional, slightly overcooked school dinners, you can imagine every mouthful.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">After dinner and after the graduation ceremony, the volume knob was turned up to 11 and we were invited to the school disco. Just what you need after several glasses of bubbly! The lights of the assembly hall were swapped for disco lights and we danced and sang along to everything from the fifties to the nineties. From Johnny B. Goode to Saturday Night by Whigfield. We collapsed early which is rare for a family party, maybe we'd worn ourselves out with all that homework!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">One one the best, and definitely one for the family album! Good work!</span></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-17599651181460803002009-03-05T05:34:00.000-08:002009-03-05T05:46:21.561-08:00Maggage<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0-0lHMHOZtaKz0P3HScdK55EeNfcrCTErlNdNZSeJBc0LCketS5rNBNrxiHueccg5HxEqV86b6cZvksQPXRG3UnL8tmC7F06USnmoKwj4hyphenhypheneTVnPOA8l3WQwwRGMUmGuDWl711Jii4M/s1600-h/n589711920_1968253_3101.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0-0lHMHOZtaKz0P3HScdK55EeNfcrCTErlNdNZSeJBc0LCketS5rNBNrxiHueccg5HxEqV86b6cZvksQPXRG3UnL8tmC7F06USnmoKwj4hyphenhypheneTVnPOA8l3WQwwRGMUmGuDWl711Jii4M/s200/n589711920_1968253_3101.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309699569149846722" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">It's been all quiet on the blog front recently, it's not that there's no news to report, I've just been a lazy bastard. I've realised that if I don't tap in now, the details will be lost in the annuls of time like spaghetti slipping through the holes in a colander, I've just got to pick up that slithery memory before it slips down the plughole for ever.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">So, last Thursday I went out with Maggie as I've not seen her for ages and a catch-up was long overdue. She's doing well for herself and as ever she amazed me with a couple of quiet bolts from the blue. It turns out she's recently been directing and rather than get into it through promo-work and short film, she's been producing for ages and now worked her way up to the heady height of director for various Coke commercials, one of which is taking her to New Zealand for a couple of weeks, a brief breather before she moves out there on a more permanent basis in September where she will concentrate on Pavlova - The Movie.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">After the quick Vietnamese and some bring-your-own, Maggie had to head off and as I was in the area, met up with Nick of Debilitators fame. We played some pool, chatted band, watched some shit or other and then I came home later than expected.</span></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-57615878527769828562009-02-23T05:39:00.001-08:002009-03-05T05:33:32.601-08:00You've been framed<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwp4a2Fn-LbxN0hkBS8QW8iP79GiWvmdWYhsP6SEWZcaTumzfhUCMVUISovjJt_LjR2jaL1pGjyodALo7yCfo5Dz-bCPwpqly23bMoSoe4N5mzruKEw7bjsV72mzJCgYb0yR9dKEGfb8/s1600-h/IMG_0062.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwp4a2Fn-LbxN0hkBS8QW8iP79GiWvmdWYhsP6SEWZcaTumzfhUCMVUISovjJt_LjR2jaL1pGjyodALo7yCfo5Dz-bCPwpqly23bMoSoe4N5mzruKEw7bjsV72mzJCgYb0yR9dKEGfb8/s200/IMG_0062.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309696290845841346" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">A welcome break was well overdue after a week deprived of sleep. May and myself just took our time settling in to Westbank, lovely. All boxes were unpacked, all contents dispersed or thrown out after being vetted by May... "Erm... What's this and do we really need it?" I must admit, it's looking amazing, with the lamb slow-roasting in the oven we were able to spend the Sunday framing, hanging and dotting our interesting ornaments and oddments around the place before Ian came to visit. If you don't count the movers and lifters, he was our first visitor and the person designated to break in the sofabed we bought last week. I didn't get chance to get a full blown report, but worryingly he told us he'd felt a bit tom and dick in the middle of the night. I hope he's not allergic to Ikea furniture... Maybe it was the Chicken Cottage Dixieburger he'd had before he arrived!</span>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951046779451302525.post-83950182329330102052009-02-19T02:38:00.000-08:002009-02-19T03:32:55.892-08:00Tom's leaving drinks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4i9sSLjEQMOAa6ThMOpaGG-Z0cpkt0qS9RTuJEOj1MIThKBvy9Kt7LoyUl8srX7VusM2mtLBsP5vWQaMv3GLJL2izUvUXSmy6zOyQbATZuSiqYhV5dB_oCbvhyphenhyphen6-EAu-0rpkSFl6rNjY/s1600-h/Tommy.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4i9sSLjEQMOAa6ThMOpaGG-Z0cpkt0qS9RTuJEOj1MIThKBvy9Kt7LoyUl8srX7VusM2mtLBsP5vWQaMv3GLJL2izUvUXSmy6zOyQbATZuSiqYhV5dB_oCbvhyphenhyphen6-EAu-0rpkSFl6rNjY/s200/Tommy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304469892773671906" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">After work May and I managed to squeeze in platefuls of sashimi, edamame beans and endless bowlfuls of Miso at Yo! in Farringdon before Snakey Jake came to join us for some chicken. You just don't go to a sushi restaurant and order the chicken, but then again Jake's always liked to pop the bubble of convention. After hearing about Jake's bid to give up all vices after a trip to Bupa left him holistically cleansed, we cut to the Three Kings in Clerkenwell for Tom's leaving drinks.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Tom's off to LA on Friday after having an epiphany and heading over there to hook up with JD Powell and the rest of the scriptwriting crew. He'll be staying in Silverlake for a couple of months basically to see what happens. I must admit, I'm kind of jealous of him as I know he'll have a brilliant time. It's good to be impulsive and spontaneous, it kind of keeps the soul young. Anyway, after the third pint, I'd realised I'd left my bag in Yo! Sushi, May and I said our farewells and went back to pick it up. Luckily it was still under the table we'd sat at!</span></div>Merichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03933830956134118882noreply@blogger.com0